High Courts in Blantyre and Lilongwe have today simultaneously issued injunctions against a decision by the Ministry of Homeland Security to relocate refugees and asylum seekers to Dzaleka Refugees Camp.
The development follows government’s order that every refugee and asylum seeker who is residing outside Dzaleka refugees camp should return to the camp by Wednesday, April 28, 2021.
However, with few hours away for commencement of relocation exercise, one of the refugees Abduh Nahimana has obtained a court injunction restraining the Malawi government from enforcing the move.
According to a court document seen by his publication, the injunctions is to pave way for judicial review of the decision by government.
“Upon hearing counsel for the claimants and upon reading the sworn statement of Abduh Nahimana, it is order that the application for the leave to move for judicial review and is hereby granted,” reads part of court document.
The court has also ordered that the judicial review be expedited so as to quickly come up with a lasting solution.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Homeland Security Richard Chimwendo Banda has said he is yet to receive an official court document on the matter but said the injunction will compromise the whole issue.
Minister Chimwendo Banda said government through his ministry has already deployed police officers in various locations across the country and added that the injunction can also put lives of the refugees on risk.
On Thursday, one of the refugees, Innocent Magambi, CEO at Inua Consulting company pleaded for more time before asylum seekers are sent back to Dzaleka refugees camp
I’m worried if the goverment will continue treating refugees like this, i wanted to know the importance of SADEC network, why president of our countries have join this mivement and why there’s an Africa Union network? I can’t even see the imoortance of all this. It has been game that is played sub-saharian goverment are we not a citizen of this continent? Who choosed to be a refugee so that he can be treated like we are not a citizen of african vontinent.
Each and year there’s this game in south africa, kenya same issue, malawi same song why this in Africa.